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US 8,262,125 B2Granted
Tandem wheel arrangement
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsDaniel Sergison, Norval P. Thomson, Steven A. Daniel, W. Christopher Swick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine (100) includes a frame (102) portion and a tandem wheel arrangement, which includes a main linkage (312) and a stabilizing linkage (322) that are pivotally connected to the frame (102) portion. A first mount (304) and a second mount (304) are pivotally connected to the main linkage (312) and to the stabilizing linkage (322), such that the main linkage (312), the stabilizing linkage (322), the first mount (304), and the second mount (304) define a four-bar-linkage arrangement (202) that operates to transfer unbalanced torque loads from the first mount (304) and the second mount (304) to the frame (102) portion.
Claims5
A machine, comprising:
- a frame portion;
- a main linkage pivotally connected to the frame portion;
- a frame bearing opening formed in the main linkage and having a bearing center point disposed at a first vertical position and a first horizontal position with respect to the frame portion;
- a stabilizing linkage pivotally connected to the frame portion at a pivot joint disposed directly above the bearing center point of the main linkage;
- a first mount pivotally connected to the main linkage and to the stabilizing linkage, the first mount including a first opening formed in the first mount and having a center point disposed at a second vertical position and a second horizontal position with respect to the frame portion;
- and
- a second mount pivotally connected to the main linkage and to the stabilizing linkage, the second mount including a second opening formed in the second mount and having an additional center point disposed at the second vertical position and at a third horizontal position with respect to the frame portion;
- wherein the main linkage, the stabilizing linkage, the first mount, and the second mount define a four-bar-linkage arrangement that operates to transfer unbalanced torque loads from the first mount and the second mount to the frame portion, and
- wherein when the machine is disposed on a flat surface, the first vertical position is at a first height from the flat surface and the second vertical position is at a second height from the flat surface such that the first height is greater than the second height.
6 more elements
A machine, comprising:
- a frame;
- a tandem drive arrangement pivotally connected to the frame, the tandem drive arrangement including:
- a main linkage forming a first main pin opening adjacent a first end thereof and a bearing opening disposed in a mid-portion thereof, and a bearing opening, the bearing opening having a bearing center point disposed at a first vertical position with respect to the frame when the machine sits on a flat surface, wherein the main linkage is configured to be pivotable with respect to the frame,
- a first motor defining a first stator portion and a first rotor portion,
- a first mount connected to the first stator portion, the first mount having a first opening that has a first center point disposed at a second vertical position with respect to the frame when the machine sits on the flat surface, wherein the first vertical position is higher than the second vertical position,
- a first drive wheel connected to the first rotor portion;
- a first set of pin bosses connected to the first mount,
- a first pin opening formed in the first set of pin bosses and extending parallel to a first axis of rotation of the first rotor portion with respect to the first stator portion,
- a first main pin that is disposed within the first main pin opening and the first pin opening formed in the first set of pin bosses, and
- a second mount connected pivotally connected to the mail linkage;
- a load sharing arrangement associated with the tandem drive arrangement, the load sharing arrangement including a stabilizing linkage pivotally connected to the frame directly above the main linkage, the stabilizing linkage pivotally connected to the first and second mounts,
- wherein the load sharing arrangement balances unbalanced loading in the tandem drive arrangement by transferring the unbalanced loading to the frame.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.